Automatic signal for electric railways.



No. 70|,275. Patented May 27, I902.

' n. L. s'ronm.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL FOB ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

(Application filed July 25, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets$heet I.

lN VENTOI? W 41 BY W A Ham/Er No. 70|,275. Patented May 27, I902.

n. L. swam. I AUTUMATIC SIGNAL FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAY S.

(Application filed July 26, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-She et 2.

% a By Me UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH L. STORM, OF VVATERLOO, IOWVA, ASSIGNOR TO STORM RAIL'WAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF WVATERLOO, IOW'A.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of. Letters Patent No. 701,275, dated May 27, 1902.

Application filed. July 25, 1901.

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH L. STORM, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Waterloo, Blackhawk county, Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Signals for Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in lo automatic signals for electric railways; and the object of my improvement is to provide a switch having drop-blocks adapted to automatically break circuit through the action of gravity and having an improved step-by-step I5 signaling device, the Whole operative by the impact 011 the gravity drop-blocks of swingblocks operated by the trolley-wheel of a passing car. I attain this object by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

.20 which-- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my combined gravity drop-switch and step-by-step circuitcloser. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the method of as bringing the hooks into contact'with the conducting-surfaces of the gravity drop-blocks. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the releasing ratchet-wheel. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the setting ratchet-wheel, both being parts of the circuit-closer; and Fig. 6 is a diagram of the wiring.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Attached to suitable supports on the frame 50 are two electromagnets 25 and 26, which as herein shown are solenoids, having their cores and 46 movable vertically within them. To the lower ends of the said cores are pivoted the pawls 27 and"2S, which re- 40 spectively engage the teeth of the ratchets v29 and 30. The ratchet-wheels 29 and 30 are separately mounted and are each revoluble about the bolt 35. The flat springs 36 and 37 are arranged to bear, respectively, against 5 the lower teeth of said ratchet-wheels 29 and 30 in order to keep said ratchets normally in contact with the pawls 27 and 28. The

ratchet-wheel 30, its hub 87 and stud 89, also the ratchet-wheel 29, its hub 88 and stud 90, are constructed of any suitable non-conducting material. The circumferential periphery Serial No. 69,670. (No model.)

of the hub 87 is covered with a conductingring 32, having a projecting tongue-piece 34. The circumferential periphery of the hub 88 is partially surrounded by the conductingring 31, a piece of the latter being removed in order to expose the non-conducting surface of the hub 88. A connecting-plate 91 is extended inwardly from the conducting-ring 31 along the inner face of the hub 88 and is perforated toadmit of the passage through it and contact with the bolt 35. When in posi- 'tion and ready for operation the inner faces of the hubs 87 and 88 are set parallel to each other, but not in'contact. The studs 89 and 90 .then engage each other, keeping the ratchets 29nand 3O locked in line, at which time the projecting tongue 34 is over the part of the hub 88 where part of the conductingring 31 has been removed. A collar on the bolt 35 serves to keep the hubs S7 and 88 apart.

When not in operation, there is no electrical communication between the conducting-rings 31 and for the projecting tongue 34 then lies directly over the break in the ring 31 and out of contact with it. Communication between the two is established when the setting-pawl 28 rotates the setting-ratchet 30 over a space of one tooth and brings the projecting tongue 34 into contact with the conducting-ring 31, as is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The electrical current is brought direct from the trolley-wire through the medium of the wire83 and the spring 38, 85 the latter having its free end bearing against the under surface of the conducting-ring 32.

A wire 66 serves to connect the bolt 35 with the upper lamp 59.

S6 is a wire which serves toground the cur- 9o rent passing through the electromagnets 25 and 26 by means of the ground-wire 70.

48 and 49 are drop-blocks arranged to move vertically within openings in the frame 50, having their lower ends normally a short distance above the trolley-wire 71. These dropblocks are formed of non-conducting material, but have conducting-plates 39 and 40, respectively, attached to their upper surfaces.

41 and 42 are terminal plates insulated from me each other and supported by a projection 44 on the frame 50. The plate 41 bears against ity drop-blocks 48 and 49.

the conducting-plate 40 when the drop 49 is vertically raised, and the plate 42 bears against the conductingplate 39 when the drop 48 is vertically raised. An electrical current is carried to the electromagnet 25 from the terminal 41 by means of the wire 85. An electrical current is carried to the electromagnet 26 from the terminal 42 by means of the wire 84. A framework 51 is placed over the gravity-drops 48 and 49 and is slotted to permit the upper parts of the drops to pass through and come in contact with the conductingstrip 52. The conducting-strip 52 is fastened at an intermediate point to the framework 51, and its free ends are movable vertically to allow them to come into contact with the conducting-hooks 53 and 54, respectively, when either of the drops 48 or 49 is pressed up against them. The conducting-hooks 53 and 54 carry the current from the trolley-wire by means of the intermediate conducting-strip 55. A swing-block 56 is suspended from the frame between the lower ends of the grav- The block 56 is slotted to permit it to ride astride of the trolley-wire 71. The signal-lamps 59 and 57, 6O

and 58, which are located near the ends of the track-sections, are arranged, as shown, with a single lamp above a group of lamps. The lamps are adapted to be lighted alternately.

The block 56 is, when impinged upon by the.

trolley-wheel S0 of a car 81, just entering a section of track 82, pressed up against the gravity-drop 48, lifting the latter into a position where its conducting-surface 39 comes into contact with the conducting-strip 52 and brings the latter into contact with the hook 53. The current is carried from the'trolleywire 71, through the strip 55, hook 53, strip 52, plates 39 and 42, and the wire 84, to the setting-electromagnet 26, which moves the Core 46 vertically upward,carrying with it the settingpawl 28, which moves the setting ratchet-wheel forward through the space of one tooth. This rotation of the setting ratchet-wheel carries forward the projecting piece 34 beyond the neutral place and bringing it into contact with the conducting-ring 31. A circuit is then established from the trolley-wire 71 through the lamp 59 by means of the wire 83, spring-38, conducting-ring 32, tongue-piece 34, conducting-ring 31, plate 91, bolt 35, and wire 66. After passing through and lighting the lamp 59 the circuit is established through the wires 67, 62, and 79 to the lamps 58, which are lighted, thence to the ground through the Wire 78.

When any car on a section is about to move to another section, its trolley-wheel impinges upon the block 56, lifting the drop 49, and bringing the plate 40 into contact with the strip 52. A current from the trolley-wire 71 then passes through the strip hook 54, strip 52, plates 40 and 41, and wire 85 to the releasing-magnet 25. Its core being lifted causes the pawl to move the releasing ratchetwheel forward through the space of one tooth.

In case this car is the only one on the tracksection the neutral space on'the hub of the releasing-ratchet is then carried forward under the tongue-piece 34, and the circuit being broken the lamps 59 and 58 are extinguished, indicating a clear track. If one or more-cars yet remain on the section after this first car has passed otf,inasmuch as the setting ratchetwheel has moved forward as many teeth as there are cars which have passed upon the section, the rotation of the releasing ratchetwheel does not cause a break in the circuit until the last car has passed off the section and the tongue 34 rests over the neutral space aforesaid. The releasing ratchet-wheel at the opposite end of the section is similarly operated by a current which is derived from the trolley-wire 71 and passes over the wires 72, 61, and to the conducting-plate on the drop 49,-thence to the releasing mechanism.

WVhen acarenters the track-section 82 from the opposite end to that described, it causes the lighting of the lamps 60 and 57 by means of a current passing through the wires 67, 75, 63, and 68 and from the lamps 57 to the ground.

The claims below are intended to cover the construction of the gravity-drop herein shown and described when used in connection with a circuit-closer such as shown and described herein or of any construction covered by the terms of the claims themselves.

No claim is made to the circuit-closer in this application nor in a companion application filed July 25, 1901, and bearing Serial No. 69,671, such circuit-closer being described and claimed in an application filed by Charles H. Storm, June 19, 1901, and bearing Serial No. 43,857, and which invention is now owned by me.

What I claim as constituting the present invention isl. The combination with a frame supported above a trolley-wire and having openings, drop-blocks movable within said openings op erated by gravity and faced on their upper ends with conducting-plates, terminals adapted to make independent contact with said plates when the blocks are raised, a strip adapted to make contact with either plate when its block is raised, and circuits leading from said strip through a source of power and electromagnets to said terminals; of a swingblock supported by the frame between said drop-blocks and slotted so as to stand astride the trolley-wire, the swing-block being adapted when swung mechanically in either direction by a passing trolley-wheel to raise one of said drop-blocks and close the circuit, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a frame supported above a trolley-wire and having openings, drop-blocks movable within said openings operated by gravity and faced on their upper ends with conducting-plates, terminals adapted to make independent contact with said plates when the blocks are raised, a strip adapted to make contact with either plate when its block is raised, a main circuit including a source of power and the work to be performed, devices for making and breaking said main circuit, and a second circuit leading through said devices and a source of power to said terminals and plate; of means for permitting the trolley-wheel to pass beneath the first and to raise the second of said blocks mechanically when the car is passing in either direction, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with a frame supported above a trolley-wire and having openings, drop-blocks movable within said openings operated by gravity and faced on their upper ends with conducting-plates, terminals adapted to make independent contact with said plates when the blocks are raised, a strip adapted to make contact with either plate when its block is raised, a main circuit including a source of power and the work to be performed, devices for making and breaking said main circuit, and a second circuit leading through said devices and a source of power to said terminals and plate; of a swing-block suspended from the frame between the drop blocks and adapted when swung in either direction by a passing trolley-wheel to raise one block mechanically and establish the second circuit above mentioned, as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. The combination with two verticallymovable drop-blocks operated by gravity and faced on their upper ends with conductingplates, a supporting-frame having a projection between said blocks, terminals mounted on the projection and adapted to contact with either plate when its block is raised,and means for permitting a trolley-wheel to pass under the first of said blocks in either direction and to mechanically raise the second; of a slotted framework standing above the blocks, a strip centrally attached to said framework with its extremities adapted to contact with either plate when its block is raised, and circuits leading from said strip through a source of power and the Work to be performed and to said terminals,as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with two verticallymovable drop-blocks operated by gravity and faced on their upper ends with conductingplates, a supporting-frame having a projection between said blocks, terminals mounted on the projection and adapted to contact with either plate when its block is raised,and means for permitting a trolley-wheel to pass under the first of said blocks in either direction and to mechanically raise the second; of a slotted framework standing above the blocks, a strip centrally attached to said framework with its extremities adapted to contact with either plate when its block is raised, hooks standing above said extremities of the strip, and circuits leading through said hooks, a source of power, and the work to be performed, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In an automatic signal for electric railways, the combination with drop-blocks movable vertically byimpact upon them, of a trolley-wheel passing in either direction, and circuits including a source of power and two electromagne-ts through one of which an impulse is passed when. a block is raised; of a second circuit including a pair of signals at opposite ends of the track-section, and devices for making and breaking this circuit which devices include two ratchet-wheels intermittently rotated when said magnets are alternately energized, all as and for the purpose set forth.

Signed by me at Waterloo, Iowa, this. 20th day of July, 1901.

RALPH L. STORM.

Witnesses:

M. E. KENNEDY, GEo. R. TURNER. 

